"How May I Help You" - August 2011

By: Angela Hanberg

While it may seem like something of an antiquated phrase or even philosophy to some, to those on the receiving end of poor customer service, the phrase "How may I help you?" is a greatly missed nicety that many feel seems to have gone out the window.

    During this last month I had the chance to ask around to see how our local shoppers feel about local customer service. These are just a few of the comments I got back:

"Shoot, going through [fast food restaurant]'s window, the kid at the window would rather listen to music about "f this" and "f that" and then get mad and start swearing then take my money. This town's customer service really has gone downhill..." This woman clarified that the employee was listening to music streaming from his cell phone that she could hear before she even pulled up.

 

"One time at [sit down restaurant], we had a waitress that was more interested in talking with some guys then with helping us. I didn't get barbecue sauce on my chicken and so I asked for some. I waited for it and my husband had finished eating. The waitress brought the bill. I asked her again for the sauce, which she brought, but we'd been there so long that I asked for a to go box and she never came back. I think we asked someone else for the box and we left without leaving a tip."

 

"A local grocery store that I have always enjoyed and respected has successfully infuriated me the last three times I've shopped there. I have stood in lines of six deep and watched the checkers visit with family or friends checking out ahead of me while everyone waits and taps their feet. I have seen checkers leave customers at their counter while they walk to another checkout stand and make small talk with another employee. I have walked up to employees through the store to ask them a question only to have them make eye contact, then turn and walk the opposite direction. I have paid, then stood there waiting for my groceries to be bagged, only to give up and bag them on my own. I dislike self-checkout lines. The way I see it, I pay the same high prices whether I do all the work myself or not. I'd rather let someone else do part of that work."

    Another top complaint on the ever-growing list was counter help at local offices. Many people interviewed found it very disconcerting that when they walk into an office to pay a bill, ask for information, check in for an appointment or place an order, the only response that they have, is to see the secretary on the phone for what seems like forever. Even worse is listening to them cuss and giggle and realize that it is a personal phone call they're taking at the moment.

    It's been said that customer service in the Uintah Basin has declined drastically in the last few years. In this day and age of technology and automated services, it seems that no one even knows how to properly answer a phone. For many local patrons, it feels that the days of reliable, loyal service to the public has gone by the wayside.

    In my younger days (and I won't tell you how long ago because it's not cool to disclose my age,) I worked retail at a local farm and ranch store. At that time, the practice of good (superb) customer service was pounded into us until we were utterly sick of hearing it. However, it never failed us when it came to keeping our customers happy. What I miss most about that job were the "regulars" I'd see nearly every day. We called them by name. We knew which feed they typically purchased, which dog food they fed [insert dog's name here, because usually we'd know Fido's name as well], which fertilizer they put on their garden, etc. We built relationships with the patrons that shopped with us and in turn, they were loyal to the businesses that they were visiting. We may not have always had the lowest prices, but they shopped there anyway because they felt respected and comfortable while they were there. People were names, not numbers. Fast forward to the current day and many complain now that it's nearly impossible to get store employees to even acknowledge that you are there, let alone help you do what you went in there to do.

    It is with this entire thought in mind that the Vernal Area Chamber of Commerce and Duchesne County Chamber of Commerce (DCAC) teamed up to begin their customer service training project entitled "Who's Coming to Dinner". This customer service training project was brought about in an effort to increase the positive reviews that are made to such entities as the Better Business Bureau, Board of Travel and Tourism, and even online businesses like Hotels.com and Expedia.com

    Many of these online travel sites are full of both complaints and compliments on the local businesses in the Basin causing the Chambers to realize the importance of good customer service and how it appeared to be lacking in many businesses in the area.

    "There have been so many negative complaints over the last few years about the poor quality of the customer service in the Uintah Basin that we wanted to see what we could do to help business owners bring some extra training - free of charge - to their front line employees," stated Ann Beath, customer service trainer for area chambers. "It is our goal to help business owners be as successful in their business as they can be and what they sometimes forget is the importance of their employees taking good care of their patrons."

    Never fear! We are not saying that every business has failed us. A local favorite for customer service is Intermountain Farmers (IFA). IFA's policy has always been: The customer is always right and the customer always comes first. And it is the customer standing in front of you with money in hand who is worth a lot more than the one on the phone. Employees are never to take a call if they are assisting a customer unless there is absolutely no one else available to do so and if they do answer the phone, the employee should say "Good afternoon, IFA, can you hold please?"

    When treated in such a respectful manner as this, it's hard to leave a store without making a purchase, especially when everyone there has gone out of their way to help you find what you need.

    One customer shared, "We went there to buy a few coats for Sub for Santa. We left there with every child on the list receiving clothing, coats, boots, hats, and gloves, all donated! They did it again last year. They did all of the "picking out" of outfits and all. Everything was matched and was just perfect!"

    Lazy Dog Salon and Le Paws Boutique were praised by their human customers as well. Getting customers in as quickly as possible even when it means coming in on a day off. Making sure they know exactly what the customer expects of their groomer before leaving their pet. They are all about making their clients happy in order to keep repeat business.

"I think Subway, Wendy's and Cafe Rio have AWESOME customer service. Never had problems there."

 

"You know who I love? The lady at Cafe Rio that goes around cleaning tables! She is always smiling and talking to the kids and acts like she enjoys her work, even though you know she can't possibly."

 

"Adam's Body and Paint always go above and beyond the call of duty. Adam is always right on the ball to research and order parts that are hard to find. He even installed a mirror for me for free that I had been told would cost $200 to install from another auto body shop."

 

"A girl at C.A.L. Ranch spent a long time helping me find a doggy door. It was almost closing time and ours had broke. When I called she even took a measuring tape back and measured what they had for me. I went in and they didn't have what I needed so she gave me the names of other stores to try. We finally found one at Lowe's, but she should have gotten the sale!"

 

"Another good, although new business, is Tenacious. We went there to get my daughter a dress. She is so hard to find clothes for because she wears a women's size but is still a young girl. They spent 45 minutes helping me find a dress for her body type and a shirt to go under it. They were all but trying it on for me. It was very youthful and my daughter loved it! I was expecting them to turn their nose up because she is not the 'size 1 off the rack' girl...I was pleasantly surprised."

 

"Best service in town in my opinion goes to Scott Murray Propane. I worked phones for several years at an answering service in town. Scott never once turned anyone down for propane. I called him out at 2 in the AM more than once because someone with kids ran out of propane in the winter. No matter who the person, how stupid the reason for running out, no matter the holiday or the hour of night, Scott had one rule: call him so he can take care of his customers. He always answers and says 'I'll get right on it.' He even delivers when people can't pay which is unheard of!!!"

    A few of our personal favorites are White Smiles Dentistry, Wal-Mart Bakery, Hallmark Chalet, Larsen and Haslem Dentistry and Prestige Cleaning.

    It is always a good idea to keep in mind that not every place has good or bad employees. There are so many factors involved when it comes to customer service. It is very important for us to realize people have both good and bad days. As customers we may misconstrue a comment or an action if we are having a bad day, that we would have never even noticed if we were on top of our game. The same thing goes for these front line employees. Our community, as a whole, could benefit from having a more positive attitude on both ends of the spectrum.

    If you are interested in having Anna Beath with DCAC come and provide your staff a customer service training, please contact her at 435-722-4798.